FRANCE-AFRICA/HOLLANDE French president salutes Benin's democracy, pledges aid against Boko Haram

Record ID: 148699

  • Title: FRANCE-AFRICA/HOLLANDE French president salutes Benin's democracy, pledges aid against Boko Haram
  • Date: 2nd July 2015
  • Summary: COTONOU, BENIN (JULY 2, 2015) (REUTERS) FRENCH PRESIDENT, FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, AND BENIN PRESIDENT, BONI YAYI, ARRIVING FOR MEETING VARIOUS HOLLANDE AND YAYI STANDING
  • Embargoed: 17th July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Benin
  • Country: Benin
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAD3ZFOZRMIJRAUYUKK5DB8VWPQ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: French President Francois Hollande addressed members of Benin's government at the presidential palace in Cotonou on Thursday (July 2) in the only speech he is expected to give during his two-day Africa tour.
    Hollande called Benin a "model" of democracy for the continent.
    "You know how much I believe, in Africa as elsewhere, that constitutions, election dates, the rhythm of democracy should be respected," Hollande said.
    Beninese President Boni Yayi has pledged not to seek a third mandate in elections next year.
    Burundi has been locked in a deadly political crisis since April over President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid to seek a controversial third term.
    Hollande will also visit Angola and Cameroon on this trip. The presidents of those countries have been in office for 36 years and 33 years respectively.
    "I am going to Angola and Cameroon. I will not change my discourse at all. Elections should take place at the pace respected by all democracies, and constitutions are made to be respected. That does not mean they can never be changed. When those who want to change them and make more changes to stay in power, that is a risk, a risk for democracy but also for stability, for security. And we see in Burundi where there is violence, there are contestations, there are unending protests," Hollande said.
    Security issues, in particular the fight against militant Islamist sect Boko Haram, are high on the agenda for Hollande's Africa tour.
    Benin has pledged troops for an 8700-strong multinational force to combat Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region. Regional leaders say the force should become operational soon. The African Union approved the force in January.
    In his speech Thursday, Yayi called on France to advocate on behalf of international support for the force.
    "I take this occasion to invite you to stand with your peers and support the position of African Union in requesting that the international community support the creation of the multinational force against Boko Haram and that the U.N. Security Council adopt a resolution to approve its deployment and authorize allocation of special funds to assure the durability of the force's operations," Yayi said.
    Troops from the other countries contributing to the multinational force - Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger - are already fighting Boko Haram in Nigeria and border areas.
    The new Nigerian-led multinational force will be based in Chad, which also hosts Barkhane, a 3,000-strong French mission set up to fight terrorism across the Sahel-Sahara territorial band.
    Hollande said Africa can count on French support against Boko Haram.
    "We are still ready with Europe to support the forces that could be put in place. France has assumed its responsibilities on several occasions. I point to Mali. I point to the Central African Republic. This is not of the same nature. When it comes to the fight against Boko Haram, we are present in the region and we can supply, when we are asked, a certain amount of logistical support and materials and we will do it," Hollande said.
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